


Another Opening, Another Show

by noblydonedonnanoble



Category: Much Ado About Nothing - Shakespeare
Genre: Alternate Universe - Music, DCI, Drum Corps, F/M, Phantom Regiment, The Cavaliers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-22
Updated: 2014-07-22
Packaged: 2018-02-09 21:35:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1998690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/noblydonedonnanoble/pseuds/noblydonedonnanoble
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Beatrice doesn't know much about how opening night is going to play out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Another Opening, Another Show

**Author's Note:**

> I've thought for ages that a DCI AU would be perfect for Much Ado, but I've put it off until now. 
> 
> For those who don't know anything about drum corps, I tried to be as clear as possible so as not to confuse you. 
> 
> The one thing I should mention: Benedick makes a joke about someone dying in Phantom Regiment's show because they're absolutely notorious for doing this every year.

                Beatrice doesn’t know much about how opening night is going to play out. She knows that Phantom is nowhere near having their shit together for performance—they’re behind on drill, and the music is far from sensational. Based on what she’s heard from friends in other corps, though, they all seem to be in a similar boat; she’s lost track of the number of times that she’s heard some variation of the words, “I swear we’re doing worse than we were this time last year.”

                (They are nothing if not high in morale.)

                She’s probably heard the most positives about the Blue Devils so far—not a surprise, but even that’s not really a sure thing.

                The only thing she can say _for sure_ , in fact, is that the Cavaliers drumline is going to be absolutely insufferable. Because about two thirds of them are holdovers from Green Thunder, who, in just their fourth year, managed to pull off a WGI championship.

                As though the universe is laughing at her, it’s at that precise moment that the Cavaliers’ buses begin to pull into the lot. Her cousin, Hero, sits up in the grass and watches their progress with a bit too much interest. “Look who’s here, Bea.”

                Like she hadn’t noticed. Beatrice rolls her eyes. “Oh yes, our favorite band of brothers.” Before Hero can chide her for her disparaging tone, she adds, “I _know_ , your dad was a Cavalier, but he’s not here so I’ll say what I like.”

                “Be quiet for my sake, then. I like them. I’d have picked them over Phantom—”

                “Except they don’t take girls. So you’ve said.” She looks back to Hero with a fond smile and adds, “You just wish you could be in the same corps as Claudio.”

                Hero’s cheeks tint pink and she giggles uncomfortably. “Don’t be silly, that’s not the reason. _Not the only reason_ ,” she concedes, swayed by her cousin’s raised eyebrows and amused smirk.

                “You have a bit of time to go see him before dinner’s over, if you like.”

                “Oh, really? He said I should come and say hi if I had some time to spare.”

                She jumps to her feet and brushes herself off, looking in the direction of the buses, and then back down at Beatrice. She bites her lip nervously. “Would you come with me?”

                “God, please don’t make me. What if he’s still on the bus?”

                “What does that matter?”

                “The _drumline_ bus.”

                “So?”

                Beatrice grimaces. “Your boyfriend’s a sweetheart, but some of the others, not so much.”

                Understanding dawns on Hero’s face and she laughs. “Benedick’s probably gone off somewhere to practice; according to Claudio, he likes to hide away before shows. C’mon Bea, please?”

                “Fine.” As long as she won’t have to talk to Benedick, she supposes, it would be alright.

                They trek across the field together, and when they near the buses, Beatrice pauses by one of the groups of boys. “Hi, which one is the drumline bus?”

                “Oh, it’s uh…”

                “Hero!”

                “You’ve got to be kidding,” Beatrice mutters. The two girls turn around to see Benedick emerging from the closest bus. He’s grinning widely at the younger of the two. “It’s good to see you.”

                “Same to you. Can you tell me where I might find Claudio?”

                “I think he just ran off to the bathroom, so he should be back soon. Are you settling in at Phantom?”

                Hero nods eagerly. “I am, yeah. It doesn’t hurt that I’ve got Beatrice with me.”

                Benedick glances at the older girl, as though noting her presence for the first time. “Oh, of course. Hi, Beatrice.”

                She purses her lips. “Benedick.”

                “I’ve heard some interesting things about your show this year. You’re doing the Wizard of Oz, right?”

                 He directs this question toward both of them, but Hero’s the one who answers. “I guess sort of. It’s supposed to be Oz in general but we’re going more in the Wicked direction.”

                “That’s a relief. I was worried you were going to kill Dorothy and that would have just been a downer. So which one of the girls is going to be unfortunate enough to play Elphaba? I hope they’re not planning on painting her green.”

                Beatrice bristles at this. When she auditioned for the solo and got it, she was thrilled—there’s absolutely no better way to age out of Phantom, not in her mind. “They wanted to paint me green but decided against it. It clashed too much with my hair.”

                She feels a deep sense of satisfaction as he realizes his mistake, as his jaw drops slightly and his eyes widen. “Oh. Um.”

                Claudio chooses that moment to reappear, coming to stand in between the two girls and putting an arm over each of their shoulders. “Ben, you found my two favorite Phantomettes.”

                Hero giggles as Claudio leans in to kiss her, while Beatrice looks away so she can rolls her eyes privately. Or not-so-privately, because she realizes quickly that Benedick is watching her. When she meets his gaze, he smirks, as though to let her know that yes, he found the line equally absurd.

                But Beatrice scowls and says, “Your friend just put his foot deep into his mouth before you arrived.”

                “He has a way of doing that, yeah. Nothing too bad, I hope?”

                “Course not. I’m already over it,” she mutters.

                “How much longer do you have for dinner?”

                Beatrice takes a long time looking at her phone to check the time. “About fifteen minutes.”

                “Great. Hero, I’ve got something for you, for your first opening night. Want to come on the bus for a minute?”

                The prospect, to the younger girl, is positively thrilling. “Sure.”

                Claudio releases his grip on Beatrice as he and Hero head toward the bus. She turns back to Beatrice after a second and says, “I guess I’ll just meet you back with everyone else? I promise I’ll be on time.”

                She doesn’t wait for a response before Claudio is tugging on her hand to bring her inside.

                Benedick and Beatrice stand for a few moments in uncomfortable silence before she finally puts an end to it. “I guess I’ll see you later.”

                “Um, yeah, I guess.” She’s hardly turned away before he adds, “Wait, Beatrice.”

                She makes no attempt to hide her exasperation. “Yes?”

                “Good luck with your solo.”

                Is that all? She rolls her eyes; like he really means it. “Okay.”

                “I’m serious!” The emphatic exclamation gives her pause, and she stares at him, not sure how to respond. He drops his gaze as he says, “I’m sure you’ll be great.”

                Beatrice smiles gently, startled by her own sincerity as she says, “Thank you. I’m sure you’ll be great too.”


End file.
